Ministry Refutes Claims of Demanding Aid Repayment
The Ministry of Defense of Ukraine has issued a formal denial regarding rumors that it demanded the family of soldier Nazar Daletskyi return financial aid. Daletskyi, who was presumed dead, returned from Russian captivity on February 5, 2026. The Ministry's statement explicitly clarifies it has no grounds or intention to compel the Daletskyi family to repay the 15 million hryvnias in assistance they received.
The Case of Soldier Nazar Daletskyi
Nazar Daletskyi serves in the 24th Separate Mechanized Brigade, named after King Danylo. He went missing in September 2022 and was later declared deceased for over three years due to an error in DNA analysis. The financial aid payment to his family was processed based on official documentation, including a death certificate and the erroneous DNA test results.
Daletskyi returned home as part of a prisoner exchange on February 5, 2026, which secured the release of 157 Ukrainians from Russian captivity. The freed individuals included soldiers from the Armed Forces, National Guard, State Border Service, and civilians. It is significant to note that most of those released had been held captive since 2022. This exchange followed a lengthy pause in such operations, highlighting the persistent challenges in negotiating the return of prisoners of war, a critical humanitarian issue in the ongoing conflict.
President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy remarked: 'Without the determination of Ukrainian warriors, such exchanges would be impossible.'
The situation surrounding Nazar Daletskyi and his family underscores the complexities of prisoner exchanges and the critical need for accuracy in determining a soldier's status. The initial aid payment, made in good faith based on official records, demonstrates the system's intent to support families who have suffered loss. This case is a poignant reminder of the war's protracted nature and its profound impact on Ukrainian service members and their loved ones, with prisoner swaps remaining a vital, though difficult, component of wartime humanitarian efforts.